Presentation of Velenje

Velenje (34,186 inhabitants) had community status before the 1990s. Until 1991 the town and municipality were named Titovo Velenje (after Josip Broz Tito, the Yugoslav President in 1945-1980).

Željko Heimer, 2 April 2000

Municipal flag of Velenje

The flag and arms of Velenje are prescribed by Decision Odlok o grbu in zastavi Mestne občine Velenje (text; graphic chart), adopted on 23 June 2009 and published the same day in the municipal official gazette Uradni vestnik Mestne občine Velenje, 14/2009, superseding the Decision adopted in 2005 and the symbols prescribed therein.

The revamping of the symbols was made by Goran Semečnik; the originally pale blueish skyscrapers were made white, the flag was simplified from 6-color to 3-color print and "made compatible with vexillologic rules regarding proportions, position of the coat of arms and colors".
The use of the new symbols has been liberalized - that is, it requires no special persmission by the municipal authorities as long as the use is not against the rules listed in the Decision.

The "basic" flag is in proportions 5:2, vertically divided green-yellow into two equal fields with the coat of arms set in the vertical axis of the flag. The colors used are the same as those used in the coat of arms, which is outlined in yellow line in its left half, placed on the green field of the flag.
Other proportions and shapes are also allowed for certain "individual ambiental solutions", provided that these solutions are approved by the mayor. The official gazette show four examples of "derived flags".

The symbolic is explained as "a link of the old and
the new". The green, yellow and white colors are said to be symbols
of youth and optimism.

Željko Heimer, 27 June 2010

Coat of arms of Velenje

Coat of arms of Velenje - Image by Željko Heimer, 27 June 2010

The updated version of the coat of arms differs from the previous version only by the removal of the black outline around the green embattled roofs.
The black lines in the coat of arms are prescribed to be 3% of the shield's width for the shield outline and 1% for the skyscraper's outline. The colours are prescribed as follows:
- Yellow: HKS 4K / RAL 1023 / CMYK 0-5-90-0 / RGB 245-220-17;
- Green: HKS 54K / RAL 6029 / CMYK 80-20-75-0 / RGB 65-135-80.

Željko Heimer, 27 June 2010

Derived flags of Velenje

Derived flags of Velenje - Images by Željko Heimer, 27 June 2010

Four examples of "derived flags" are given in the official
gazette: the horizontal flag, a very long vertical flag (ca. 5:1),
an horizontal flag with a serrated fly (four triangular indentations) and
an odd triangular large flag, presumably an usual example of possible
"individual ambiental solutions".

Željko Heimer, 27 June 2010

Former flag and arms of Velenje, 2002-2009

Former flag and arms of Velenje - Images by Željko Heimer, 29 August 2004

The former flag and arms of Velenje are prescribed by Decision Odlok o grbu in zastavi občine Velenje, adopted in 1992 and published in the official Slovene gazette Uradni list Republike Slovenije, 8/1992.
The symbols were adopted in 1992 following a public contest, set up to replace the symbols adopted in the Socialist period. Among the 300 designs submitted by 78 authors, Stane Hafner and Vlado Vrbič,'s proposal was selected.

When the municipality was made a civic municipality in 1995, a new Decision was published, differing only in minor administrative details. The Decision Odlok o grbu in zastavi mesta in mestne občine Velenje, adopted on 24 October 1995 and published on 13 November 1995 in the official municipal gazette Uradni vestnik Mestne občine Velenje, 15/1995, includes the "integral graphical design of the municipality" (Celostna grafična podoba MoV, Mestna občina Velenje), that is a document explaining the use of the symbols in details.

The former coat of arms of Velenje is "Or in base civic walls with roofed towers vert in base from which is issuant a skyscraper argent".
The symbolic should be read as refering to tradition (embattled
walls) and modernity (skyskcaper). The skyscraper is actually colored
very pale blue.

Željko Heimer, 29 August 2004

Former flag and arms of Titovo Velenje

Former flag and arms of Titovo Velenje - Images by Željko Heimer, 26 September 2004

According to Zalokar [zal90], the flag of the town, then called Titovo Velenje, was red with the former coat of arms in the middle.
The coat of arms of Titovo Velenje symbolically pictures miners and factory workers' hands of the miners a red field, a blue inverted chevron embowed standing for the town's initial "V", and the Yugoslav red five-pointed star fimbriated gold in a white field, together forming the Slovenian tricolour.

Željko Heimer, 26 September 2004

Local community of Šentilj

The municipal website reports the adoption of the symbols of Šentilj.
The arms (image) are "Per fess or and vert overall a church sable".